Furniture assembly



3,252,433 runrnrnnn ASSEMBLY Hans .Fuergens Abramowsld, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Khoury Bros., Inc., Iron Mountain, Mich, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 318,008 6 Claims. (Cl. 108107) This invention relates to a furniture assembly and more particularly relates to a plurality of individual support means which cooperate with various furniture units to provide an assembly which is readily rearranged.

A primary object of the instant invention is the provision of a furniture assembly which is strong and durable in construction, attractive and flexible in use, and simple and inexpensive to manufacture and utilize.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide an assembly of the character described wherein the furniture units may be readily moved from one position to another to provide a completely different appearance and functional grouping with relatively little etfort.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a furniture assembly which may very quickly and easily be secured in any desired related arrangement and which will be strong and stable when assembled.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a furniture assembly, the components of which take up relatively little room when disassembled to facilitate storage and handling.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a structure of the type described in which a plurality of horizontally spaced supporting means may be utilized to carry any desired number and character of furniture units.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a furniture assembly wherein horizontally extending crossbars may be utilized to support furniture units having oppositely disposed support elements slidingly received over vertically extending pole support means.

Yet another object of the instant invention is to provide such an assembly wherein the crossbars may be engaged with the pole support means at vertical locations spaced approximately the thickness of the furniture units support elements so that oppositely extending furniture units sharing a common pole support means may rest one upon the other and still be maintained in a substantially horizontally extending relationship.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fumiture assembly of the type described wherein the component parts may be readily angularly displaced to provide a corner or other angular arrangement.

- Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangements of .parts, and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the basic structural connection of the furniture assembly of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the same;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of one of the pole support members in accordance with the instant invention;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of a shelf member for use with the instant furniture assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic view, to a small scale, showing one arrangement of the component parts of the furniture assembly of the instant invention;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 showing a different arrangement wherein an additional set of pole support means is included to carry further furniture units;

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FIGURE 7 is a still further modified arrangement showmg yet another pole support means and additional furniture units used in the combination with basic assembly; and

FIGURE 8 is a top view, partly in section and partly in plan, showing the utilization of the components of the instant invention in an angular relationship.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing the furniture assembly of the instant invention is comprised basically of vertically extending pole support means 10 each including at least two transversely spaced pole support members 12, furniture units having oppositely disposed support elements 14 and 16 with vertically extending apertures 18 defined therethrough for sliding reception over the pole support means 10, a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending, aperture-means 20 defined in each of the pole support means 10 and including aligned, horizontally extending aperture 22 in each pole support member 12 thereof for removably receiving crossbar members 24 in a manner and for a purpose to be further described hereinafter.

The furniture unit may simply consist of a planar shelf member such as shown in FIGURE 4 at 26, the end portions of which define the support elements 14 and 16. Alternatively, various other furniture units may be utilized such as drawer means 28 including one or more drawer members 30 and having a shelf-like member 32 supporting the same with end portions extending beyond the drawer means 23 on either side thereof and defining the support elements 14 and 16. A second shelf-like member 34 may be secured to the top of the drawer means 28 having its end portions extending beyond the drawer means 28 on either side thereof and being slidingly received over the pole support means 10 to define additional support elements similar to 14 and 16. Similarly, a cabinet means such as shown at 36 with sliding doors 38 may be carried by a shelf-like member 40 having its end portions defining the support elements 14 and 16 and a second shelf-like member 42 may be secured to the top thereof for the same purpose as the member 34. In an obvious manner, other conventional furniture units such as desk members, record cabinets, magazine racks, or the like, may be readily adapted for use in cooperation with the furniture assembly of the instant invention.

The aperture means 20 are preferably defined in the pole support means 10 in vertically spaced pairs of apertures as shown most clearly in FIGURES 1 to 3, with the apertures 22 in each pair being spaced apart approximately the thickness of the support elements 14 and 16 to enable the furniture units to be supported in a substantially horizontally extending position as will be more clearly seen hereinafter.

The use and operation of the assembly of the instant invention will now be apparent. The units are assembled by sliding the pole support members 12 of each pole support means 10 into the vertically extending apertures 18 defined through the support elements 14 and 16 at opposite ends of chosen furniture units such as shelf members 26, drawer means 28, cabinet means 36, or the like. The furniture units are then raised on the pole support means 10 at each end thereof until the desired vertical adjustment is attained. A crossbar 24 is then removably slid through aligned apertures 22 of aperture means 20 in each pair of pole support members 12 of a pole support means 10 in underlying relationship to the support elements 14 and 16 as seen most clearly in FIGURES 1 and 2. The furniture unit will then be supported by the crossbars 24 on which they rest. Disassemby and rearrangement of the furniture units may be readily accomplished in an obvious manner.

The furniture assembly of the instant invention may be extended by simply providing additional pole support means with furniture units being carried by crossbars 24 as explained hereinabove in extending relationship between each adjacent pair of pole support means 10 as clearly seen in FIGURES 6 and 7. Intermediate or common pole support means 10a comprised of common pole support members 12a will simultaneously slidingly carry support elements 14 of furniture units extending in one direction and support elements 16 of furniture units extending in an opposite direction. If the apertures 22 of aperture means 20 are vertically spaced by approximately the thickness of the support elements 14 and 16 the furniture units may be supported in substantially horizontal relationship by staggering the units as shown particularly in FIGURE 7. With such an arrangement support elements of the furniture units on the outer pole support means 10 may be carried by crossbars passing through either the upper 'or lower aperture 22 of the aperture means 20 while the inner support elements of these furniture units rest on the supa plurality of horizontally spaced, vertically extending pole support members, at least one furniture unit including oppositely disposed support elements slidingly received over said pole support members, a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending aperture means defined in each of said pole support members, and a crossbar member removably received in one of said aperture means port elements of a furniture unit extending between the common pole support means 10a and carried by crossbars passing through the opposite aperture 22 of the pair of apertures.

It will be readily seen that the assembly of the instant invention may be modified slightly to allow for angular displacement of the furniture units such as in the forming of a corner assembly shown in FIGURE 8. In this instance, only a single pole support member 12b will be common to units extending between adjacent pairs of pole support means 10, and this pole support member 12b will of necessity have horizontally extending apertures (not shown) disposed at right angles to each other to receive crossbars extending between the pole support members of each pole support means.

Each of the components of the assembly of the instant invention is preferably formed of wood but may be manufactured of metal, plastic, or the like. Also, while dowel shaped pole support members and crossbars have been found preferable it will be readily understood that these members may be formed in any desired cross section. Individual components may be made commercially available in either an unfinished condition with the buyer staining or painting the same to suit his own desires, or prefinished oomponents may be sold commercially.

It will also be seen that while the instant disclosure has been directed to substantially horizontally extending furniture units, slight modifications may be made to allow for angular components if desired.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved furniture assembly which satisfies all of the objectives of the instant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

in each of said pole support members in underlying relationship to each of said support elements, one of said aperture means in one of said pole support members being vertically aligned with aperture means in one of the other pole support members to support each of said furniture units in substantially horizontal relationship, said aperture means being defined in said pole support members as vertically spaced pairs of apertures, each said pair of apertures being vertically spaced apart approximately the thickness of said support elements of said furniture units.

2. A structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least three spaced pole support members are provided, at least one furniture unit having oppositely disposed support elements being slidingly received over each pair of opposite pole support members, at least one common pole support member being shared by support elements of furniture units extending in different directions, and a crossbar member removably received in the aperture means in each of said pole support members in underlying relationship to each of said support elements.

3. A structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein a plurality of furniture units are provided for each adjacent pair of pole support members.

4. A structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein said support elements of at least some of said furniture units slidingly received over the common pole support members and extending in one direction rest directly on, and are supported by, support elements of at least some of said furniture units slidingly received over the common pole support members and extending in a different direction.

5. A structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein at least four horizontally spaced pole support members are provided.

6. A structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein adjacent pairs of pole support members are angularly disposed with respect to each other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,014,217 1/1912 Goehst 312-107 X 1,272,120 7/1918 Saint 182-179 X 1,282,104 10/1918 Mork. 1,290,782 1/1919 Reigersberg 312-107 1,411,260 4/1922 Baker 108-107 1,685,064 9/1928 \Fritz 108-106 1,865,734 7/1932 Wieland 312-107 2,375,726 5/1945 Bales 211-148 X FOREIGN PATENTS 5,635 1906 Great Britain. 572,015 1/1958 Italy. 177,959 5/1956 Sweden.

OTHER REFERENCES German printed application R 11,953, September 1955.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

A. FRANKEL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FURNITURE ASSEMBLY COMPRISINGG, IN COMINATION, A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTALY SPACED, VERTICALLY EXTENDING POLE SUPPORT MEMBERS, AT LEAST ONE FURNITURE UNIT INCLUDING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SUPPORT ELEMENTS SLIDINGLY RECEIVED OVER SAID POLE SUPPORT MEMBERS, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACED, HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING APERATURE MEANS DEFINED IN EACH OF SAID POLE SUPPORT MEMBERS, AND A CROSSBAR MEMBER REMOVABLY RECEIVED IN ONE OF SAID APERTURE MEANS IN EACH OF SAID POLE SUPPORT MEMBERS IN UNDERLYING RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OF SAID SUPPORT ELEMENTS, ONE OF SAID APERTURE MEANS IN ONE OF SAID SUPPORT ELEMENTS, ONE OF SAID BEING VERTICALLY ALIGNED WITH APERTURES MEANS IN ONE OF THE OTHER POLE SUPPORT MEMBERS TO SUPPORT EACH OF SAID FURNITURE UNITS IN SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL RELATIONSHIP, SAID APERTURE MEANS BEING DEFINED IN SAID POLE SUPPORT MEMBERS AS VERTICALLY SPACED PAIRS OF APERTURES, EACH SAID PAIR OF APERTURES BEING VERTICALLY SPACED APART APPROXIMATELY THE THICKNESS OF SAID SUPPORT ELEMENTS OF SAID FURNITURE UNITS. 